Xbox sales trail forecasts

Bloomberg.co.uk is reporting this morning that sales of the Xbox in the USA trailed Analysts expectations by 33%, for the month of November. Microsoft apparently shifted 468,000 units, whilst Industry business boffin Bob Austrian (Banc of America Securities) had predicted sales of 700,000.
"Industry growth rates, for both consoles and video games, may be slowing, or at least, seasonally weaker than expected," Austrian commented.
Microsoft spokesperson Molly O'Donnell reacted by suggesting that the latest NPD data was inaccurate, as it excludes sales from Wal-Mart stores, the USA’s largest games retailer. Xbox sales through Wal-Mart had apparently doubled in November, according to O’Donnell.
Shares in Microsoft fell slightly at the news, whilst the likes of EA and Activision also saw a decline.